PapaZorroBlog: Duracoat Digital Camouflage Project. How it was made to my Vepr-12 VPO-205-01 Custom Edition.

The late spring most preparations for making Duracoat Digital Camo was done. The weather was good for the opening the windows during paint work, much better then it was in winter ;).

I bought two sets of Urban MirageFlage Template Duracoat digital stencils (TP15) from Russian Duracoat dealer in addition to Duracoat paint I had for the Duracoat Urban MirageFlage Camo. The difference to suggested colors was that I selected the Duracoat White, that used in Duracoat Urban Camo instead of Duracoat Urban Mirage White that used in Duracoat Urban MirageFlage Camo. As a result three following colors ware used for my Vepr-12 Digital Camo: Duracoat White, Duracoat Matt Black and Duracoat Snow Gray.

In additions to Duracoat paint and stencils the following was prepared for the future work:

1) 3M Scotch Presure Sensitive Tape - beige
2) tesa Precision Outdoor Masking Tape - blue
3) Three different types of Tamiya masking tape (6mm, 10mm, 18mm) - yellow
4) Two different Cuttings Mats
5) Several Hobby Knives
6) ABRO Carb and Choke Cleaner
7) Aircom Eolo20 Silent Compressor
8) Hahsa 481 Set Airbrush + 0,4 mm nozzle set
9) Airbrush Cleaning Solvents for removing Duracoat
10) Surgery and heavy-duty rubber hand gloves
11) 3M Half Facepiece Reusable respirator (6000 series)
12) Syringes: 10 ml (1/12ml graduation) and 1 ml (tuberculin)
13) Working place and time;)

For making digital Camo I used the 8 step Russian Duracoat dealer instruction, several You-tube videos and images of weapons painted to Digital Camo from the web. I also recommend to use C2G Camouflage™ Frequently Asked Questions for people who want make their own Digital Camouflage stencils.

As I wrote before, I received my Vepr-12 VPO-205-01 already painted Duracoat Snow Gray by Molot. Duracoat Snow Gray was chosen as a base color for the future Camo project.

First of all I reassembled my shotgun. I removed: hand guards, all internal parts from the receiver, but stock, rubber but pad, bolt and bolt carrier, buffer with spring and buffer tube, hand grip, flash hider and gas tube.

Before applying Duracoat paint I thoroughly cleaned and degreased all the surfaces of each part of my shotgun, because grease or dirt on the surface of the shotgun will damage the lay of the paint and even prevent it from adhering to the surface. For that purpose I used ABRO Carb and Choke Cleaner, IMHO it prepares the surface for applying a Duracoat paint the same as Duracoat True Strip, but costs much cheaper. As Duracoat strongly recommend to use only True Strip for degrease and cleaning, it's possible to use True Strip after ABRO Carb and Choke Cleaner will done the most work, the finish degrease will need very small amount of True Strip, that can be sprayed thue an airbrush 20-30 min before painting. To avoid the Duracoat will not adhere correctly make sure the surface is completely dry of degreaser before you apply it (IMHO 20-30 min is enough). Because True Strip and ABRO Carb and Choke Cleaner are harmful - degreasing is most safely done outside in a well-ventilated area. If you have to work inside, open windows and doors and wear a respirator to avoid breathing in chemical fumes. I also strongly recommend to use rubber gloves to avoid getting harmful chemicals on the skin!

I started preparing for painting about 1 hour after my shotgun was completely dry after cleaning/degreasing. I used several type of masking tape (Tamiya, 3M, tesa) to cover all areas of my Vepr-12 I didn't want to paint. These masking tapes cover areas very well without damaging any of the finish of the shotgun, IMHO Tamiya is the best for these purposes.

The Duracoat templates will cover areas so that you can make the proper designs with the paint. Two Duracoat digital stencils ware not enough to cover all details of my shotgun and tree magazines, so I decided to make hand made stencils. For that purpose I used Tamiya masking tape, hobby knife, flexible metal ruler and cutting mat. I used ONLY hand made stencils for all magazines and hand-guards. I tried to use Duracoat stencils to cover the hand-guards and found them useless for this, due to Vepr/RPK hand-guards have ribs and paint during spaying is getting under the Duracoat stencils. To avoid such Bug I used different widths strips, that I made from Tamiya masking tape. These strips of different widths were pasted across the ribs edges, skirting all the edges of the ribs, extra length were cut off by hobby knife. I also used some hand made stencils on my shotgun also.

When make your own stencils, cut and keep both male (positive) and female (negative) stencils, the female stencils are the small background pieces cut out of the male stencils. Repeat cutting stencils, making more than needed for lots of variations to select from while stenciling, male stencils are best for the majority of Digital Camo stenciling, while female counterparts are best for blending.

Pictures of painting accessories were used for making Duracoat Urban MirageFlage Camouflage (Cuttings Mat, Hobby Knive, Tamiya masking tapes, 3M Scotch Presure Sensitive Tape, tesa Precision Outdoor Masking Tape, used Urban MirageFlage Template, used Self-made Stencils and flexible metal Ruler)

Painting accessories for Duracoat Urban MirageFlage Camo

Painting accessories for Duracoat Urban MirageFlage Camo

For preparing Duracoat for use (12 to 1 proportion) I recommend buy two type of medical syringes: 10 ml that has 12 ml scale and 1 ml Tuberculin that has 1ml scale. These two type of syringes has ideal volume for mixing Duracoat paint (12 parts) with Duracoat hardener (1 part). If you need small amount of paint, for example, 6 ml you use half of big and half of small syringes. Easy go for any amount of paint.

Some important remark according Airbrushes, for my paint work I used Hansa 481 Set airbrush with additional 0,4 mm nozzle set, I also tried to use tree different Chinese airbrush replicas: two of Paasche (Jas 1110 and Jas 1111) and one of Aero-pro (Jas 1115). My German Hansa with 0,4 mm nozzle have bigger spray pattern then Chinese replicas with 0,8 mm nozzle set!!! I strongly recommend - don't buy Chinese replicas - buy only Original Brand made airbrushes, spend more money, but you can get the expected result.

IMHO one of the best for Duracoat projects is Paasche VL-SET or Paasche VLS-SET. The VL/VLS airbrush is made in the US and includes the following: VL#3 Double-Action Airbrush (or VLS#3 Double-Action Airbrush), size 1 and 5 spray heads, 1/4oz metal cup, 1oz bottle assembly, 1oz storage bottle, hanger, wrench, 6' braided hose, lessons booklet and manual. Very important that VL/VLS Airbrush nozzles doesn't have rubber O-rings that are usually killed by Duracoat paint and solvents!

I addition, I strongly recommend to clean your airbrush and airbrush bottles carefully from Duracoat after use with proper solvents - spray several airbrush bottles with solvent. After that reassemble your airbrush and clean it with brushes from Airbrush Cleaning Set with paint solvent also clean carefully your airbrush nozzle inside, assemble your airbrush and spray several bottles of solvent again. Don't put cleaning work for the next day - Duracoat could kill your airbrush!

After spraying several layers of one Duracoat color by Hansa 481 airbrush I left my shotgun to dry for a one day covering it by big garbage plastic bag to avoid dust applying to the paint. The next day I repeated for the another Duracoat color. One day later I removed all the stencils and most masking tape from my Vepr-12, and let it dry for the three weeks for complete dry of Duracoat.

Pictures of Molot Vepr-12 VPO-205-01 Custom Edition that was drying after it was painted by Duracoat Snow Gray, Matte Black and White to Urban MirageFlage Camouflage

Molot Vepr-12 VPO-205-01 CE is drying after it was painted to Urban MirageFlage Camo